LOCAL AND GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3125, 2 July 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

There were no bankruptcies recorded in Wellington last month, and the same was the result in June last year. For the first half of tho current year the number of bankruptcies was three,. tho same as for the corresponding period of last year.

At a District Court-marital held at Trentham Camp on Juno 22, a soldier was found guilty of, when on aotive service, absenting himself without leave, He was sentenced to 28 days' dotention. Another soldier foiind guilty of disobeying a lawful command given by his superior officer was l sonteuced to imprisonment with hard labour for six months.

In the House of Representatives on Friday. Mr. C. H. Poole, a member who interests himself in maritime affairs, probably because he once was a Bailor and ship's officer, gave notice of the following question to the Minister of Marine:—"Whether, in view of the possible 6erious dislocation of his Department by tho new steamship merger, ho is prepared to make an exhaustive examination of the circumstances leading up to the present position, and if he will at once communicate with Australia on tho suggested, future plan that our intercolonial service will be run by oversea ships carrying coloured crews on deck, in stokehold ', and tho stewards' department, thereby upsetting the present labour arrangements suitable to nieh. of tho merchant service who_ have their families and homes to sustain?" 1 .

Some interesting remarks regarding tho work of distriot high schools were made at the conference between inspectors and head teachers at Auckland on Friday. Mr. G. W. Plunrraor, inspector, stated that his experience had been that in some case?. tho efforts of the work at district high schools was misdirected, and it seemed to liim that if commissions of inquiry, as suggested, were appointed good results would follow. Many of the teachers who took up this work had not had any. previous expenenco of teaching, whib some of the bend teachers had had experience only in primary schools, and were therefore more or less at sea when they coma to direct the work of a district high school. Mr. V. H. Laws, of the Tnuranga District High School, said that one of tho difficulties they at .present had to conlend with was that teachers came fresh from a university training, with' little or no practical experience of the work, and they had to flounder along for some years until they became thoroughly acquainted with it.

In a question nddressed to the Government, -Mr. G. .T. Anderson, member for Mataura, suggests that in view of the shortage of supplies of white pine timber in sight, and of the need for the timber for butter, cheese, and fruit b'oxjs, the ■export of it from New Zealand should be prohibited.

No bankruptcies were recorded in the Wairarapa for the month of June. There have been only four declarations in insolvency since the beginning of the year.

Tiie Wairarapa Hospital and Charitable Aid Board lias decided to raise ;\ loan of ,£IB,OOO from the Publio Trustee for the purpose of - providing additional hospital accommodation in the district. It is proposed to repay tho loan in yearly instilments of ,£IOOO, whioh will be raised by means of an extra levy upon the local authorities.

A new. stained-glnss window in St. Thomas's Church, Newtown, was unveiled yesterday by tho Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Sprott. The window is of three lights, at tho east end of tho church, the subject being the Crucifixion in tho centre, tho Virgin Mary on the right, and St. John ,on the left. The colouring is particularly beautiful. The work was carried out by Messrs. Jones and Willis, of London. Tho donor of tho window is Mr. E. Collie.

There was considerable discussion at a meeting of the Hawera Bowling Club last week on, the following motion by Mr. J. Foy:—"(1) That this club decides to disallow the use of spirituous liquors on the green at inter-club matches during the continuance of the war; (2) that it be a recommendation to tho Tarauaki Bowling Contro that the use of spirituous liquors bo discontinued at tournaments during tho continuanco of tho war; and (3) that the contro recommend clubs to discontinue use of samo at thoir iuterclub matches during tho war poriod." Tho matter was discussed at length, tho motion being strongly supported, and it was resolved to submit tho proposals to tho members for decision by bnllot, which is now being taken.

Tho following motion by Councillor Cos will be 'moved at to-night's meeting of tho Potono Borough Council: "That tho action of the representatives on tho Pclono Firo Board in abstaining from attending a meeting of that board bo approved by this council, and that tho Government bo requested to reconsider tho luattef of tho appointment of its it'presentiitivoto that board."

Tho Government is being asked by Mr J. V. Brown, member foi Napier, to put an export tax on butter to prevent its being sold oh the Sydney market at a 105.5 price than that at which it is obtainable in. New Zealand.

Youths, as a rule, are eager to bo spoken of as men, and men do not care to bo termed youths, except perhaps whon nn absence, of years might bo to their advantage. For instance, at criminal trials, somo comparatively adult males are referred to by their counsol as boys or lads. At a sittiini of tho Supreme Court in Christchurch, His Honour Mr. Justice Denniston commented on the fact, deolnring that it grown to bo a habit in that Court for defending counsel to call a client o£ twenty-one years or thereabouts a "boy," and apparently a prisoner had to bo twenty-five years or more before ho was "a. man." lieutenant T. E. T. Seddon, IT.P., writing to Mr. J. Colvin, M.P., from the headuarters of the 4th New Zealand Brigade, on April 11, supplies information as to tunnelling work done by West Coast miners. Lieutenant Seddon quotes remarks mndo by General Richardson, who had come from Prance, and who had seen a report from "a vory exalted genoral," stating that tho tunnelling work done by the New Zealanders was magnificent. General Riohnrdson described great halUs dug where the battalions assembled, Lieutenant Seddon continued: "Old Fritz's fireworks and heavy bombardment had not the slightest effect upon the men who wore safe underground in tho shelter provided by our Now Zealanders. These large dug-outs were lit up by oleotrio light, and tho great, white, chalky walls looked like the interior of a great town hall. From theso places of assembly tunnols were dug in the direction of t:b© German trenches. Tho bombardment supposed to smash our battalions fell harmlessly in tho rear. The general was enthuslastio about the effectiveness of our mon's work. As many of tho men oamo from your district of Westport and Buller, I thought their comrndes who are carrying on mining operations in Now Zealand would bo pleased to know what a great part in this world-struggle for freedom tho West Coast miners in Franco aro playing."

Good 'work in invalid 'transport- has just been carried out by tho St. John Ambulance Brigade (says the "Otago Daily Times"). It was desired to remove a helpless patient from the Auckland Hospital to his homo in Dunedin, and that the work should bo so well done thut the patient would suffer no pain. Members of tho Auckland Division went to tho hospital, placed the patient on a stretcher, took him to. tho railway station, and placed him on the train for Wellington. At that city he was mot by members of the Wellington Division, who removed him to the ferry steamer, on which ho was conveyed to Lyttelton. Micro he was met by members of tho Christchurch Division, who transported him to tho train for Dnnedin. ' Sis arrival at Dunedin was awaited by members of the Dunedin Division, who took him to his own home. The whole work was carried wit without a hitch, the patient not requiring to be lifted from the stretcher on which he was placed at tho Auckland Hospital until he was taken .off at his home. The result was that he bore the journey of nearly 1000 miles splondidly, and felt no ill effects.

Mr. W. J. Napier, of Aucklandj has received a letter from Mr. :T. Driffield Hawkin, a near relative of General Botha, in which' Mr. Hawkin refers to the entertainments being given to wounded soldiers from the Dominions. Mr. Hawkin says: "We have had a numbel of most successful parties this winter imd have received as guests Australians,/ South Africans. Canadians, and New Zealanders. We havo found tho lastnamed a verv fine set of men; and, no matter how they may be. they seem to look cheerfully forward with a courage that is truly wonderful. It has been specially interesting to note the Maori Now Zealanders, who have been about our streets lately. Truly the Motherland has reason to bo proud and grateful for 'the willing sacrifice which all these boys are making."

The general meeting of the Society of Wends was continued at the' Wends' Hostel on Saturday morning, when the state of the society waa considered Encourngin g reports were road, and snecial mention was made of the Friends' Hostel for women students at tho Training College. Much interest '/was taken in the account of the large amount of clothing sent to the devastated areas in France and Russia. The whole of the evening was devoted to discussing the position of Friends under the Military Service Act.